Dolly Parton Combats Homesickness With Homemade Food

Dolly Parton is on the road for her biggest U.S. and Canadian tour in over 25 years. With stops in 60 cities, the country legend will be living on her bus for weeks at a time and says she tries to make it as comfortable as possible.

"I cook stuff before I leave home," she tells CMT's Cody Alan. "I put it in the freezers and stuff, like home cookin'. We always have good caterers too, but there's just that stuff that if you're away from home you don't feel homesick if you can have the things you're used to."

Parton loves her country staples, but says she doesn't eat as much as she did years ago, as she needs to fit into her stage clothes.

"I don't eat as much of it as I used to. I try to watch it when I'm traveling for my stage clothes, if nothing else," she admits. "I try to do kind of low carb through the week and splurge when I get a minute."

Parton says she's "still an old gypsy and a roadie at heart," likening herself to Willie Nelson. According to a press release, Parton’s setlist will include her well-known hits, as well as new songs from her forthcoming double-disc album Pure & Simple With Dolly’s Biggest Hits.

“We’re so excited to get out there and see the fans again,” the legend says in a press release. “I’m really looking forward to singing songs the fans have not heard in a while, as well as the hits, while debuting a few new ones off Pure & Simple.”

Pure & Simple With Dolly’s Biggest Hits two CD set will include new material in addition to a compilation of Parton’s biggest hits.